The brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus), also known as the Antarctic skua, subantarctic skua, southern great skua, southern skua, or hākoakoa (Māori), is a large seabird that breeds in the subantarctic and Antarctic zones and moves further north when not breeding. Its taxonomy is highly complex and a matter of dispute, with some splitting it into two or three species: Falkland skua (S. antarcticus), Tristan skua (S. hamiltoni), and subantarctic skua (S. lönnbergi). To further confuse, it hybridizes with both the south polar and Chilean skuas, and the entire group has been considered to be a subspecies of the great skua, a species otherwise restricted to the Northern Hemisphere.
This is the heaviest species of skua and rivals the largest gulls, the great black-backed gull and glaucous gull, as the heaviest species in the shorebird order although not as large in length or wingspan. It is 52–64 cm (20–25 in) in length, 126–160 cm (50–63 in) in wingspan and has a body mass of 1.2–2.18 kg (2.6–4.8 lb).[2][3]S. a. hamiltoni measured on Gough Island, weighed an average of 1.43 kg (3.2 lb) in 9 males and 1.65 kg (3.6 lb) in 9 females. S. a. lonnbergi measured in the Chatham Islands weighed an average of 1.73 kg (3.8 lb) in 30 males and an average of 1.93 kg (4.3 lb) in 32 females. The latter is one of the highest colony mean body mass for any living species of shorebird.[4]
A study in 2016 reported that brown skuas can identify individual human beings, possibly indicating high cognitive abilities.[5]
Brown skuas have been noted for sometimes bonding with humans who live for extended periods in Antarctica, such as the Eastern Orthodox clergymen at Trinity Church, and engaging in playful or apparently mischievous behavior with them.[6]
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2017). "Catharacta antarctica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T62289571A111158661. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T62289571A111158661.en. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
^HBW 3 - Species accounts: Brown Skua 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine (2011).
^CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), ISBN978-0-8493-4258-5.
^CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses, 2nd Edition by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (2008), ISBN978-1-4200-6444-5.
^Mihailova, Natalya (March 6, 2015). "Russian priest feels closer to God in serenity of Antarctica". Pravmir. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
Further readingedit
Harrison, Peter (1996). Seabirds - an identification guide. Christopher Helm: A & C Black, London. ISBN0-7136-3510-X.
Heather, Barrie D; Robertson, Hugh A & Onley, Derek (2000). The field guide to the birds of New Zealand. Viking: Printing Press. ISBN0-670-89370-6.
External linksedit
Brown skua, subantarctic skua - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stercorarius antarcticus.
April 12, 2024
brown, skua, brown, skua, stercorarius, antarcticus, also, known, antarctic, skua, subantarctic, skua, southern, great, skua, southern, skua, hākoakoa, māori, large, seabird, that, breeds, subantarctic, antarctic, zones, moves, further, north, when, breeding, . The brown skua Stercorarius antarcticus also known as the Antarctic skua subantarctic skua southern great skua southern skua or hakoakoa Maori is a large seabird that breeds in the subantarctic and Antarctic zones and moves further north when not breeding Its taxonomy is highly complex and a matter of dispute with some splitting it into two or three species Falkland skua S antarcticus Tristan skua S hamiltoni and subantarctic skua S lonnbergi To further confuse it hybridizes with both the south polar and Chilean skuas and the entire group has been considered to be a subspecies of the great skua a species otherwise restricted to the Northern Hemisphere Brown skuaAt Godthul South GeorgiaConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder CharadriiformesFamily StercorariidaeGenus StercorariusSpecies S antarcticusBinomial nameStercorarius antarcticus Lesson 1831 SubspeciesS a antarcticus Lesson 1831 S a hamiltoni Hagen 1952 S a lonnbergi Mathews 1912 SynonymsCatharacta antarctica Contents 1 Diet 2 Description 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksDiet edit nbsp Brown skua eyeing a king penguin carcassIt feeds on fish often via kleptoparasitism penguin chicks and other seabirds small mammals eggs and carrion Description editThis is the heaviest species of skua and rivals the largest gulls the great black backed gull and glaucous gull as the heaviest species in the shorebird order although not as large in length or wingspan It is 52 64 cm 20 25 in in length 126 160 cm 50 63 in in wingspan and has a body mass of 1 2 2 18 kg 2 6 4 8 lb 2 3 S a hamiltoni measured on Gough Island weighed an average of 1 43 kg 3 2 lb in 9 males and 1 65 kg 3 6 lb in 9 females S a lonnbergi measured in the Chatham Islands weighed an average of 1 73 kg 3 8 lb in 30 males and an average of 1 93 kg 4 3 lb in 32 females The latter is one of the highest colony mean body mass for any living species of shorebird 4 A study in 2016 reported that brown skuas can identify individual human beings possibly indicating high cognitive abilities 5 Brown skuas have been noted for sometimes bonding with humans who live for extended periods in Antarctica such as the Eastern Orthodox clergymen at Trinity Church and engaging in playful or apparently mischievous behavior with them 6 References edit BirdLife International 2017 Catharacta antarctica IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017 e T62289571A111158661 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2017 1 RLTS T62289571A111158661 en Retrieved 20 February 2022 HBW 3 Species accounts Brown Skua Archived 2012 02 05 at the Wayback Machine 2011 CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B Dunning Jr Editor CRC Press 1992 ISBN 978 0 8493 4258 5 CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses 2nd Edition by John B Dunning Jr Editor CRC Press 2008 ISBN 978 1 4200 6444 5 Lee W Y Han Y D Jablonski P G Jung J W amp Kim J H 2016 Antarctic skuas recognize individual humans Animal Cognition 19 4 1 5 doi 10 1007 s10071 016 0970 9 PMID 26939544 S2CID 254131457 Mihailova Natalya March 6 2015 Russian priest feels closer to God in serenity of Antarctica Pravmir Archived from the original on November 30 2020 Retrieved November 28 2020 Further reading editHarrison Peter 1996 Seabirds an identification guide Christopher Helm A amp C Black London ISBN 0 7136 3510 X Heather Barrie D Robertson Hugh A amp Onley Derek 2000 The field guide to the birds of New Zealand Viking Printing Press ISBN 0 670 89370 6 External links editBrown skua subantarctic skua Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stercorarius antarcticus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brown skua amp oldid 1156373614, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
